(The FASEB Journal. 2013;27:631.3)
Branched chain amino acid plus glucose supplement reduces exercise-induced delayed onset muscle soreness
Danielle T Leahy
Supplementation with the branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) leucine, isoleucine, and valine has been used to stimulate muscle protein synthesis following exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine if BCAA plus glucose supplementation would reduce exercise-induced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Using a double-blind crossover design, 20 subjects (11 females, 9 males) were randomly assigned to either BCAA or placebo groups. Subjects performed a squatting exercise to elicit DOMS and rated their muscle soreness every 24 hours for four days following exercise while continuing to consume the BCAA or placebo supplement. Following a three-week recovery period, subjects crossed-over to the alternate BCAA or placebo treatment and repeated the same exercise and DOMS rating protocol for the next four days. BCAA supplementation resulted in an overall trend of decreased DOMS with a 33% decrease in the BCAA group versus placebo at 24 hours following exercise, however this decrease was not statistically significant (p = 0.1057). When female subjects (n=11) were analyzed separately, BCAA supplementation resulted in a significant decrease in DOMS versus placebo at 24 hours following exercise (p = 0.018). No significant effect of BCAA supplementation versus placebo was noted in male subjects.